In order to maximized the efficiency of catalytic converters in internal combustion engines, it is necessary to maintain the concentration of exhaust gases from said internal combustion engines in proximity to a preset value, which varies according to the type and the manufacturer of the various engines. It is known that maintaining said concentration of the gases in proximity to a desired value can be obtained by adopting a lambda control system.
The devices and methods currently utilized and available on the market for controlling the air-fuel ratio in an internal combustion engine are based on the use of sensors that produce a signal depending on the type of exhaust gas produced by the engine: rich or lean. Depending on the type of exhaust gas produced, the air-fuel ratio is modified in order to reach the air-fuel ratio established to maintain the concentration of the exhaust gases in proximity to a desired value.
This known method presents various drawbacks. The most relevant drawbacks are constituted of the possibility of the sensors failing to function and the imprecision of the measurements taken, which are based on the type of exhaust gases: rich or lean.